Ore mill



Feb. 11, 1936. A. J. SCHLUNEGGER. 2,3,323

ORE MILL Filed Nov. 11, 1932 I W2" A5: 6' j I nuentor f zj'. 1.1 2249% J .jffiizzne ar Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

j The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in ore mills and has for one of itsimportant objects to provide, in a manner I as hereinafter set forth, a mill embodying anovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts throughout the medium of which the material is first crushed and then ground, the crushing and grinding operations taking'place under water.

Another important object of the invention is to'provide a mill embodying a construction and arrangement which are such that the'material While in a substantially semi-liquid state, is subj'ected to substantially constant agitation, thereby brightening and cleaning the gold which, of

course; causes said gold to amalgamate more easily.

Still another important object of the invention'is to provide a mill from which the values may be conveniently removed without the lie-'- c'es'sity' for dismantling said mill.

' Other objects of the invention are to provide an ore mill of the aforementioned character which'w'ill'be comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, portable, highly'eflicient and reliable in operation and which may be manufact'ured at low cost.

All' of the foregoing and still'further objects and'advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:-

" Figure '1 is a top plan view of a portion of a mill constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in top plan of the removable lower plate.

' Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in top plan of the stationary disk. I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in section through a. portion of the stationary disk, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

- Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be'seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a supporting structure which is designated generally by the reference numeral I, said supporting struc ture including angle iron legs 2 which are mount-' ed on a pair of spaced, parallel skids 3 which are formed from channel beams. Braces 4 are pro- -"vided for the legs 2. The skids 3 mayrest upon any suitable foundation when the mill is in operation. Rigidly mounted on'the upper ends of the legs 2 is a substantially rectangular angle iron. frame 5. Gussets 6 rigidly secure the frame 5 to the legs '2;

'The reference numeral I designates a hopper whichis bolted; as at 8, in the frame 5. It will thus be seen that the hopper I is removable. Depending from the hopper "I is a feed pipe 9 which is bolted to said hopper, as at I 0; Mounted on the lower portion of the feed pipe 9 is a flange II through the medium of which a stationary disk I2 is rigidly mounted on the lower end portion of said feed pipe. The'bolts I3 which secure the stationary disk I2 to the flange II are. countersunk in the lower face of said disk, as best seen in Figure 2 of the drawing.

In its upper face, the stationary disk I Z'has formed therein an annular race I4 in which grinding balls I5 travel. Rotatably supported'on the balls I5 is a housing which is designated generally by the reference numeral I6, said housing enclosing the stationary disk I2 and being spaced from the periphery thereof. The housing I6 comprises upper and lower sections I1 and I8, respectively, which are detachably bolted together, as at I9, a gasket 20 being provided between the housing sections to prevent leakage.

Adjustably mounted in the top of the upper housing section I! and rotatably therewith'isj a ring 2| having an annular race 22 in its lower face in which the grinding balls I5 also travel. The central opening 23 in the rotating ring 2I is substantially flared or enlarged from the upper face of said ring to the lower face thereof, as best seen'in Figure 2 of the drawing. 'It will thus be seen that the housing I6 is rotatably mounted on the stationary disk I2, said housing traveling on the balls I5. Bolts 24 are threaded into Ere top of the upper housing section I! and engaged with the rotating ring 2! for adjusting said ring in a manner to compensate for any wear that may occur on the balls I5 and in the races I I and 22. The bolts 24 also constitute means for adjusting the housing It vertically relative'to thestationary disk I 2.

Mounted in the lower housing section I8 is a rotating plate or disk 25 the upper faceof which issub'stantially conical and provided with a plurality of radial ribs 26, as illustrated to advantage inFigure 3 of the drawing. The lower face of the stationary disk I2 has formed thereon a plura'lity of substantially radial ribs 2I which'are substantially similar to the ribs 26. The disks 25' and E2; in conjunction with each omen-provide" a crushing chamber 28 which constantly decreases in height to the periphery of said disk l2. The crushing chamber 23 communicates with the feed pipe 9 for receiving the material from the hopper '5.

By operating the bolts 24 thus elevating or lowering the housing I6, the disk 25 may be adjusted toward or away from the stationary disk I2 for regulating the space therebetween, as will be apparent. The disk i2 has a plurality of return ports 29 therein establishing communication between the ball race IQ and the chamber 28. The stationary disk 32 is provided with a centrally located discharge opening 38 which is aligned with a similar opening SI in the bottom of the lower housing section I8, said opening 3| being closed by a removable plug 32. The outer peripheries of the rotary ring 2i and the disk 25 have formed therein at circumferentially spaced points vertical grooves 33 which receive vertical ribs 3 which are fixed on the inner peripheries of the housing sections l! and I8. It will thus be seen that the ring 2i and the disk 25 are positively connected to the housing I5 for rotation therewith. The upper housing section I! has formed therein a plurality of spaced,

threaded openings 35 to permit connection of a water pressure hose for washing concentrates and amalgam down to the discharge opening 35] in the rotary disk 25. The openings 35 are normally closed by suitable plugs (not shown) Extending between the base skids 3 is a channel bar 35 upon which a gear casing ET is mounted. Journaled in suitable bearings provided therefor in the casing 37 is a horizontally arranged gear 38 in which a shaft 35 is splined for vertical sliding movement. The shaft 39 extends upwardly through the top of the casing 37 and is connected by a universal joint 49 to a flexible plate M which extends between a pair of lugs 42 which depend from the bottom of the lower housing section I8. A drive shaft ts, from a suitable source of power, extends into the casing 371 and has fixed thereon a gear 54 which is engaged with the gear 38. It will thus be seen that a drive connection is provided which will permit substantially any movement of the housing It relative to the stationary disk 52.

Mounted in the supporting structure I, between the hopper l and the housing I6, is a discharge pan d5 from the bottom of which a neck 46 rises. Rising from the upper housing section I? is an elevating tube 4? which passes through the neck 46 in spaced, concentric relation thereto and terminates, at its upper end, in a flange 48 above the bottom of the pan '35, said flange 48 including a downwardly curved peripheral portion 49. The elevating tube ll is also spaced concentrically from the feed pipe 9. A flange 5B is fixed on the lower portion of the elevating tube 47 and bolted to the top of the housing section I? for rigidly securing said elevating tube to said housing section. Of course, the elevating tube 4'! communicates with the opening 23 in the rotary ring H for receiving the material therefrom.

Briefly, the operation of the mill is as follows:-

The material in substantially semi-liquid form is discharged into the hopper I from which it passes by gravity downwardly through the feed pipe 5 into the chamber 28 between the stationary disk I2 and the rotating disk 25. Rotation of the housing 56 and the disk 25 in said housing causes the substantially semi-liquid material to flow by centrifugal force outwardly in the narrowing space between the disks I2 and 25 to be crushed. The material then passes outwardly between the outer periphery of the stationary disk i2 and the housing I6 and said material is then carried inwardly by water gravity where it is reduced substantially to a slimy consistency by the grinding action of the balls I5. At this point the material of a heavy specific gravity either finds its way back through the return ports 29 in the disk I2 or it returns around the periphery of said disk I2 to the bottom of the chamber 28. As hereinbefore stated, the values are collected from the bottom of the chamber 28 by removing the plug 32. The lighter material is carried past the balls I5 and up the elevating tube ll by Water gravity and spills over the flange 48 into the pan 55 by which it is carried away. As the mill is particularly for use in treating hard material a certain flexibility is necessary and this is provided by the resilient plate 4 I on the bottom of the lower housing section I8. When the disk 25 becomes worn and ineflicient, said disk may be removed and a new one installed by disconnecting the housing sections I1 and I8.

It is believed that the many advantages of an ore mill constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

l. A mill comprising a supporting structure, a stationary member mounted on the supporting structure, a housing rotatably mounted on the stationary member and enclosing said stationary member, means for introducing the material into the housing, means in the housing for reducing the material, and flexible drive means for actuating the housing and permitting substantially universal movement of said housing relative to the stationary member, the last-named means comprising a resilient plate secured, at its ends, to the housing, a drive shaft, and means connecting the resilient plate to said drive shaft.

2. A mill comprising a supporting structure, a hopper mounted on the supporting structure, a feed pipe depending from the hopper, a stationary disk mounted on the lower portion of the feed pipe, grinding balls operatively mounted on the stationary disk, a housing rotatably supported on the grinding balls and enclosing the stationary disk, an adjustable ring interposed between the grinding balls and the housing, means for adjusting the housing and the disk relative to each other, a rotary disk mounted in the housing beneath the stationary disk, substantially radial ribs on the opposed faces of the disks, said disks, in conjunction with each other, defining a chamber in the housing for the reception of the material from the feed pipe, and means for rotating the housing.

3. A mill of the type described comprising a casing, a hopper supported above the casing and having a feed pipe depending into the casing, a disk fixed on the lower part of said pipe within the casing and having a rough undersurface, said disk having a central opening communicating with said pipe, a member having a dished upper surface spaced below said undersurface and providing a grinding chamber of radially outwardly diminishing vertical dimensions, grinding balls on the upper surface of said disk, a portion of said casing resting on said balls and another portion of the casing having said member fixed thereto, said casing being rotatable on said balls relative to said disk so as to throw the material received from the lower end of the feed pipe into the radially outward part of said grinding chamber whereby the material is ground and caused to pass around and above said disk and into contact with the upper surface of said disk and said balls.

4. A mill of the type described comprising a casing, a hopper supported above the casing and having a feed pipe depending into the casing, a disk fixed on the lower part of said pipe within the casing and having a rough undersurface, said disk having a central opening communicating with said pipe, a member having a dished upper surface spaced below said undersurface and providing a grinding chamber of radially outwardly diminishing vertical dimensions, grinding balls on the upper surface of said disk, a portion of said casing being spaced from said disk and resting on said balls and another portion of the casing having said member fixed thereto, said casing being rotatable on said balls relative to said disk so as to throw the material received from the lower end of the feed pipe into the radially outward part of said grinding chamber whereby the material is ground and caused to pass around and above said disk and into contact with the upper surface of said disk and said balls, and a discharge conduit concentrically surrounding said feed pipe and communicating with the interior of the casing above said disk for discharging material failing to settle in the casing below said disk.

ARNOLD J. SCHLUNEGGER. 

